Hello, I was a horse nut as a kid and drew them all the time, wanted a horse for birthdays, Christmas, Easter, Valentine's day and on and on. Read all of Walter Farley's books. I never got one but still love to watch them.

If any of you horse people see something drastically wrong please advise. This is a WIP pastel on rosegrey sanded paper, 19x24 (Colorfix). There will be brush in the foreground and I have alot left to do on the whole thing.

Thank you for your time!

Jean

jkelly

05-18-2003, 01:38 PM

Part of her head is covered by brush and tiny white and rose flowers. Will be added last.

I found her on one of our rides (my husband and I). She was very pregnant and friendly and began posing for me. Can you tell me what kind of horse she is?

Jean

crazeejumper

05-18-2003, 03:36 PM

This is wonderful, Jean! Although he looks more like a pony, probably b/c of the angle. Such a cute fella! Great job with the pastels! :clap:

Paul Hopkinson

05-18-2003, 06:32 PM

Nice work Jean, I can see you have been studying horses for most of your life. I personaly cannot see anything wrong with this but as I always say "I'm no expert!"
Well done so far,
Paul

Five

05-18-2003, 07:48 PM

That's beautiful. I love pastel. But then I love colored pencil, I love watercolor, I love oil paint.................

jkelly

05-18-2003, 09:55 PM

Her legs were quite short, maybe she was a short fat pony. She was very sweet though.

Thanks Paul, five and crazeejumper. Could she be a fat he?

Jean

gemmag

05-18-2003, 10:46 PM

You've really captured a personality in her. I'm not expert but I think you've done a wonderful job on her!!!!

Gemma

She-She

05-18-2003, 10:59 PM

Well it looks to me that you still know what you are doing after all these years. I have just one sugestion.... the ear that faces us has no depth to it. Even tho this is a light colored horse....er, pony, you still need some depth to the inside of the ear. Some browns with a hint of peach or light pink near the top will help to identify the ear more. Right now it looks like his ear is closed up.

You asked what kind of horse/pony this was? I'm thinking it could be a POA (Pony of the Americas) but it could be a mixed breed too.

I think this is a wonderful painting. You did a good job for you 'first' one in years!

jkelly

05-18-2003, 11:33 PM

Hello again. I did some work on this tonight, so here's the progress.

She-She, yes the ear was only blocked in. I tend to work all over the paper instead of focusing on one area. I've noticed many of the animal artitists work in sections, completing, or close to it, before moving on. I need to see the whole thing, and jump all over. I think I just get sick of seeing the same color for too long!

Thanks gemmag, she did have a great personality. I was suprised at how eager she was to meet me, no fear.

I'll look up the POA. I liked the spots, and her mane the most, beautiful colors.

Jean

Adrienne

05-18-2003, 11:45 PM

I love this image of the pony. She's adorable and you've really given us a tender look at her. Kind of reminds me of a pony that my horse and I used to chat with. My horse was a tall, dense-boned Thoroughbred, but he adored ponies, as did I. My legs were always too long to ride ponies, even when I first began riding, and I always kind of had this regretful yearning to ride a pony. Then when I bought my horse and it turned out he loved ponies too, I always wanted to buy some for him to play with, but couldn't afford it...

You've brought back so many memories with your painting -- it is full of life and tenderness and your love of equines.....

Hey, maybe you should name her, even though it would just be between you and her!!! If you do, you have to tell us too :D :D :D

Only one crit: the inside of the nostril may need more depth -- you've done the crescent-moon shadow okay, but the other part of the inside seems awfully pale and looks kinda like it is sealed over instead of leading inside.

She-She

05-18-2003, 11:47 PM

Originally posted by jkelly

She-She, yes the ear was only blocked in. I tend to work all over the paper instead of focusing on one area. I've noticed many of the animal artitists work in sections, completing, or close to it, before moving on. I need to see the whole thing, and jump all over. I think I just get sick of seeing the same color for too long!

Jean

Sorry Jean.:eek: I re-read your first post, I over looked the words WIP & 'a lot left to do'. I guess when I saw your painting it looked done to me. Your update makes this little feller really come alive.

Pippin

05-18-2003, 11:56 PM

You have done a great job on this!I love the angle you have portrayed this horse/pony in.All that practice you had as a kid has paid off.Hope you do more horses in the future.Be sure to post them when you do.

jkelly

05-19-2003, 12:06 AM

Adrienne, if art evokes an emotion, then it can be considered a success, and the highest form of compliment. Thank you, glad I could assist in your pleasant memories. :)

She-She, no harm done, nothing to be sorry for! Her ear did look pretty funcky.

Pippin, Thanks, yes I intend to do more. I'm considering supplementing my portrait work with animals, there are many stables around here. What an amazing way to make a living.

Jean

RachelG*

05-19-2003, 12:46 AM

Wow-this looks great!!! i can't see a single thing wrong. what an adorable pony!!! at a 'barn' where i work, we have several POA and POA crosses. although they are cute, never judge a book by its cover-some ponies are the most rotten, tricky little htings on four legs! but or course come, as i imagine the pony you have here must be, are pure angels. thanks for sharing this!! i love it!!!!!
P.S do you have a ref pic that you could post? i'd love to see it!:D

Adrienne

05-19-2003, 03:34 AM

I'd love to see some pics of the pony too!!!

Rachel, it's funny you should bring up the tricksters among the pony species. When Windy and I would go and commune with the sweet, funny pony that looked like the one in this painting, we would often have to dodge another pony that was frell-on-hooves. One evening though, deep wintertime, I was tired after a long ride, and let down my guard. The other pony snuck up behind Windy and I and bit me on the back of my shoulder!!! :eek:

When I got home, I found that my skin was not only bruised but bleeding despite being protected by a turtleneck, thick sweater, polar fleece outer, topped by a thick wool coat lined with real sheepskin.

I still, to this day, can't figure out how that little bugger's teeth could have done so much damage through all that :D

RachelG*

05-19-2003, 09:46 AM

Oh no, Adrienne!!!!!!!!!!!:eek: :eek: that sounds like quite the heathen-satan pony!!!!! i hope you were OK!!!!!!!!!! fortunatly, none of our ponies are that bad...just kicking at you and nibbling on you periodically...:rolleyes: too bad they're sooo darn cute!!!!!

jkelly

05-19-2003, 12:14 PM

Well here she is again, another of my favorite photos of this sweetheart.

Jean

jkelly

05-19-2003, 12:16 PM

Lost my picture. How do I delete this double post?

jkelly

05-19-2003, 12:20 PM

She must have been playing hide and seek in my computer!

Night Horse Studio

05-19-2003, 12:30 PM

These are awesome! I love the nice, soft colors!

Stephanie

RobinZ

05-19-2003, 12:41 PM

Gorgeous! Can't help on the anatomy thing, am a city girl and the only ones I see are pulling carriages with tourists, lol! I like your choice of paper, it really adds to.

jkelly

05-19-2003, 09:16 PM

Almost done.

Jean

jkelly

05-20-2003, 11:07 AM

Finished last night. Guess I have to name her now.

Jean

jkelly

05-20-2003, 11:09 AM

I've been calling her Pretty Lady as I work on her so I guess that will be her name.

echidna

05-20-2003, 12:36 PM

very nice! the mane and grass turned out great!
~Echidna

Suzy78

05-20-2003, 12:49 PM

Great! I would agree with the other that this is probably either a POA or a mixed breed pony with a touch of Appy blood to get the spots! I like how you've thinned her neck for your painting, and just love the background and foreground. The colors on her are very pleasing to the eye, and I think you did a fine job!

Suzy

jkelly

05-20-2003, 01:04 PM

Hi Suzy and Echidna. Do you mean appaloosa? I did a search on spotted horses and came up with leopard spotted Appaloosa as her possible breed. I'm 5'2" and her back came up to my shoulders. Would this indicate a pony? She had a very large belly (wide) which I assumed meant she was pregnant. This made her legs look quite short and she kinda "waddled"...

I'm glad you like her, thanks!:)
It was a nice day. Guess I'll have to learn more about horses if I plan to paint them.

Jean

echidna

05-20-2003, 01:19 PM

jean- your height puts this guy between 14 and 15 hands. the definition of a pony is under 14.2 hands, so she's either a really small horse or a big pony. your pic makes me think pony, tho. ponies tend to be fat, too:p . and yeah, appy means appaloosa. do a search for POA (pony of americas), cuz i think that's probably what she is. and youdid a good job for not knowing anything about horses!
~Echidna

MarciaJane

05-20-2003, 03:56 PM

What a super picture!!!! I love the way you have got the eye details. She looks so sweet. Great! ! :)

Marcia

crazeejumper

05-20-2003, 04:31 PM

This turned out beautiful, Jean! :clap:

jkelly

05-20-2003, 05:41 PM

Well I went to the POA site and from the info there it's evident that this little lady is one. They described her disposition perfectly, the mottled lips, and striped hooves, even her skin around the eyes was mottled. I also had the feeling that a young girl owned her as parts of her forelock had been braided (she looked like she was loved).

Thanks for all the input, this has been a fun project! I'm looking forward to doing more. Are all horse people this kind???